1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a decanter of the type generally utilized for storage brewed coffee for dispensing thereof into individual beverage cups.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Glass or glass-like decanters have long been utilized for dispensing brewed coffee since the glass or glass-like receptacles are generally highly resistant to attack by the coffee and avoid detracting from the taste thereof. Typically, such glass decanters are formed with an integral neck portion upon which is mounted a pouring spout, such pouring spout typically incorporating a unitary handle. The pouring spout assembly have, in the past, typically incorporated a split annular band for embracing the neck and contractible about a soft pliable gasket intended to, when assembled, seal between the band and neck portion of the receptacle. A conventional decanter of this type is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,632,025 to Bloomfield.
While having enjoyed some commercial success, devices of this type have several inherent drawbacks. For instance, they require a relatively large number of parts thus adding to the cost of manufacture and assembly. Further, because the seal between the band and neck portion of the receptacle is provided by a flexible gasket, a defective gasket or improper assembly of the vessel can result in loosening of the neck band and leakage of liquid between the neck band and neck of the decanter. Furthermore, due to the necessity of a separate flexible gasket and the decanter vessel, this type of device has required a relatively elongated vertical neck portion to be formed in the glass receptacle leading to restrictions on the performance of the receptacle during pouring of liquid therefrom. Not only is the decanter, in practice, difficult to utilize in achieving complete dispensation of liquid therefrom but, rapid pouring of the liquid within the receptacle from the decanter tends to cause the liquid to separate from the pouring spout portion of the neck band and pour directly from the receptacle, rather than passing over the pour spout. The resultant turbulent flow of the liquid pouring from the decanter vessel tends to cause excessive splashing.
Attempts to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art devices have met with varying degrees of success. For example, the device shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,615,045 to Fiorini is directed to an apparatus with a unitary pouring spout structure which is force fitted onto the neck of the glass receptacle with a gasket sandwiched therebetween. However, due to the nature of structure, assembly is difficult and can frequently lead to damage or breakage of the decanter during the assembly process. Furthermore, particularly tight tolerances are required between the components in order to provide for appropriate interfitting without affording such loose fit between the parts that leakage is induced. Also, since a tall neck portion is required in the glass receptacle, the same pouring difficulties inherent in the aforementioned Bloomfield device are experienced.
Wilbur Curtis Co., Inc., assignee of the instant patent application, has originated unitary pouring spout structures affixed to glass receptacles with an epoxy resin. While enjoying considerable success in the marketplace, such devices do have the shortcoming that assembly with the epoxy resins proposes some difficulty and contraction and expansion due to temperature changes, particularly sub-freezing temperatures upon shipping, may result in the differential co-efficient of thermal expansion leading to breakage. Also, some difficulties have been experienced because of poor adhesion with the polypropylene material normally utilized for forming the unitary pouring spouts.
Other efforts have led to the proposal of unitary pour spouts incorporating downwardly opening annular cavities to fit over the neck of a decanter flask and configured for receipt into such cavity of pourable molding material designed to effect a bonding lock over the neck itself. A device of this type is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,838,463 to Roberts. Such devices, while serving their intended purposes, suffer the shortcoming that the attachment process during assembly is somewhat messy and exhibits some degree of failure and rejection.
Other efforts have led to the proposal of unitary pour spouts to fit over the neck of a decanter and to sandwich therebetween a split threaded ring to cooperate with mating threads in the pour spout cavity in anticipation that threading of such pour spout on to such ring would contract the ring and trap the neck in position. Devices of this type are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,400,865 to Hester and U.S. Pat. No. 4,344,549 to Paradis. While serving their intended purposes, such devices suffer the shortcoming that screwing together of the components must be controlled with some degree of precision in order to provide a leak proof joint without applying excessive pressure to the decanter neck which may result in breakage thereof. Further, there exists the danger that, through use, and repetitive exposure to thermal cycles inherent in repeated washing and heating thereof, will partially unscrew the spout and free it for unwanted disassembly.